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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24144589">lover, please stay</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Andrew Hozier-Byrne (Musician)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Breakup, How the Fuck Do I Tag, Hurt, Other, angsty</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 06:35:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>719</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24144589</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>andrew’s work life keeps getting in the way of your relationship.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Andrew Hozier-Byrne &amp; Original Female Character(s), Andrew Hozier-Byrne/Original Character(s), Andrew Hozier-Byrne/Original Female Character(s), Andrew Hozier-Byrne/You</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>lover, please stay</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>uhh repost bcs this got deleted for some reason???</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>it was a somber moment. the decision, <em>your</em> decision, wasn’t as easy as you thought it would be, but you knew this was how it had to be, for your sake and for andrew’s. still, that didn’t make it any less hard. so there the two of you stood, outside of his home, <em>your</em> home. rain had begun to fall, small droplets of water hitting your shoulders as the cold air seemed to bite at your skin. you could feel him searching your face, eyes chasing after any hint of you having second thoughts. you couldn’t say anything, telling yourself that it wouldn’t make things any easier even if you had the words. a melancholy silence hung over the two of you, settling on your shoulders so heavily that for a moment you wonder if this is what atlas felt like. </p><p>“i suppose this is it.” andrew murmured, his prayers that this would tempt you to speak going unanswered. you simply nodded, staring down at your feet. his gaze on you didn’t shift. he reached his hand out to take yours, but stopped once he realized what he was doing. you weren’t his to hold anymore. instead, he took a small step closer to you, wanting nothing more than for you to say that you’d changed your mind, that you wanted to try this again. the words didn’t come. you did, however, finally find it in yourself to say something, eyes lifting to meet his sorrowful ones. they were glossy, unshed tears threatening to spill over. </p><p>“this wasn’t easy, andy.” the nickname felt foreign in your mouth already. “i still love you. i just can’t keep going on like this, it’s not fair to you or to me. i’m tired of your work taking my place.” your eyes fell to the ground again. you knew he wasn’t doing it on purpose, but you’d spent too many nights alone, spent too many weeks without seeing him. to be fair, he’d called you whenever he could, but even still. it simply wasn’t a good time for a relationship. you told yourself that breaking up would make it easier for both of you, and <em>god</em>, did you feel like a coward for saying it. andrew had reluctantly agreed when you told him how you felt, but that didn’t make either of you feel any less hurt. </p><p>“please, just look at me.” his voice cracked on the last word. when you did, you could see a tear roll down his cheekbone, hair slightly damp.  he’d always looked so beautiful in the rain</p><p>“can i kiss you?” he begged. you nodded again, despite the knowledge that if he did, you probably wouldn’t be able to let him go. </p><p>he leaned down, pressing his lips to yours ever so softly, hand coming up to gently cradle your jaw. you let your eyes flutter shut, your arms wrapping themselves around his waist. you remembered how he felt against you, surrounding you. it was soothing. it felt like home. <em>he</em> felt like home. when you pulled away, you could see more tears slipping uncontrollably down his face and you bit your lip, an attempt to keep yourself from crying as well. andrew hugged you tightly, his head resting into the crook of your neck as he breathed you in.</p><p>this was what he would miss; the gentle touches and feathery kisses, the hands around each other and foreheads pressed together. he ached for you, even if you hadn’t left yet. he ached for your permanence, the way you could calm him so easily, how well you understood him. you were a safe haven for him. he <em>hurt</em>.</p><p>after a moment, you pulled yourself from his warm embrace. “i have to go.” </p><p>he stepped back, taking you in for one last time, his attempts to push down the sinking feeling in his chest in vain. “honey…” </p><p>your heart felt like it had shattered on the pavement beneath you at his pleading, the lump stuck in your throat only increasing. “i can’t stay.”</p><p>the drumming of rain and the whiz of cars as they passed were the only things to be heard for several seconds.</p><p>“i love you.” he choked out, tears brushed away with a quick swipe of his fingers. </p><p>you inhaled, blinking hard and swallowing. </p><p>“goodbye, andy.”</p>
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